1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to image forming apparatuses, image forming systems and storage media, and more particularly to an image forming apparatus and an image forming system that detect a leak on a transport belt, and to a computer-readable storage medium that stores a program which, when executed by a computer, causes the computer to detect the leak on the transport belt.
2. Description of the Related Art
A transport belt provides one method of transporting a recording medium, such as paper, placed thereon in an image forming apparatus, such as a printer. The surface of the transport belt is charged so that the recording medium placed thereon is electrostatically adhered thereon. However, if moisture exists in an area on the surface of the transport belt due to condensation, a relatively high current (or voltage) flows in this area when the transport belt is charged, to thereby generate a leak current (or short-circuit current) that causes a charge leak. Accordingly, a technique has been proposed to stop the operation of the printer when the leak current caused by moisture on the transport belt is detected.
On the other hand, a technique has been proposed to continue the print operation of the printer even when the charge leak occurs. For example, a Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2005-231814 proposes not charging the area on the transport belt where the charge leak occurs in order to continue the print operation without causing damage to the printer.
However, when the leak current is detected in the conventional printers employing the above techniques, the leak current is recognized as an error (or abnormality). In other words, although the leak current may be generated by causes such as moisture on the transport belt, ink leak within the printer resulting in unwanted ink on the transport belt, and damage to the transport belt, the printer recognizes the leak current as an error regardless of the cause. The print operation of the printer is stopped when the error is recognized. For this reason, even if the detected leak current is generated by a cause such as moisture on the transport belt, which is recoverable by a relatively simple recovery process that may be performed by a user, for example, the detected leak current is processed as an error and the printer can no longer be used when the error is recognized. As a result, the printer cannot be used until a service person attends to the maintenance of the printer and removes the cause of the error.